1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to material enhancement, and more particularly to a method for enhancing the strength and durability of weak soils.
2. Description of the Related Art
Over the last several decades, the increase in construction activity worldwide, resulting from the need for new and improved infrastructure, has resulted in an increase in industrial waste materials, such as Electric Arc Furnace Dust (EAFD), a waste material produced during the production of steel, which is often considered a hazardous waste material due to its heavy metal content. As such, there is a need to develop economic and environmentally friendly methodologies for the disposal of industrial waste materials, including EAFD. Moreover, the increase in construction has also led to a significant consumption of construction materials, such as weak soils including marl and dune sand, which, in turn, leads to a depletion of quality materials. Accordingly, the strength and durability of construction materials, such as weak soils, need to be improved to conserve quality materials for use by future generations.
Many methods are currently available to stabilize weak soils. However, these methods typically require large quantities of cement or lime, whose production is not only costly, but also harmful to the environment due to an increase in greenhouse gases produced and emitted into the environment. Therefore, there is both an economic and environmental need to recycle industrial waste materials, such as EAFD, and enhance the properties of construction materials, such as weak soil, so that they can be used as base and sub-base material for flexible pavements, such as asphalt, and for rigid pavements, such as concrete.
Thus, a method for enhancing the strength and durability of weak soils solving the aforementioned problems is desired.